The Healer and the Knight
by Protector of the Small
Summary: Saying I love you can be everlasting, for good or bad. Kel learns the bad because of Cleon, but Neal was always there to help her through with trust and friendship.Healer to knight, lady to warrior, Kel and Neal are another beginning.
1. In which their love is unknown

Love is Forever  
  
Seventeen-year-old Lady Squire Keladry of Mindelan sat in her fathers workroom reading her favorite book, Weapons of War. The room was small with a desk, three chairs, and a stool. The last time she was at Mindelan, Kel had only gotten through half of the book, and now she was looking forward to finally finishing it. She looked out the window at the sunny courtyard, and was so lost in thought that she lost her page and the book flipped to the near back pages. Kel glanced at it and her eyes widened. The two pages before her were filled with written and drawn pattern dances of the ancient Light Ones. The book was old and clearly had once been buried in earth. She wondered how her father had come upon it.  
Kel began to study the advanced dances with fascination, until she was interrupted by a soft pounding on the door. "Come in." She called. Her mother, Ilane of Mindelan, poked her head in the doorway. "Kel, dear. You have a visitor. I'll send 'em in." With that, she left, leaving Kel to wait for this unexpected arrival. Kel did wait, and wondered as she sat. Who would come to visit her? And how would they know her knight master, Lord Raoul, had given her a week-long summer break? She heard the door open and Kel saw a person she hadn't expected to see at this time of year. "Neal!" She cried happily. "Kel! How are you?" She was swept up in a huge Meathead-hug, which she returned gratefully. "I'm fine. Lord Raoul ordered me to go home and take a break for a while. What about you? I though you would've been riding with the Lioness." Kel replied. "Lady Alanna threatened to leave me at Pirates Swoop as the caretaker of her evil twins if I didn't go somewhere else for a time. I read philosophy to her the entire way of long riding, hoping to soothe her temper. My method seemed to get worse as we rode and I don't understand why." Kel raised an eyebrow. "She told me to come back in two days where we will be joining the Own." "That's great, Neal. We can talk and catch up if you are riding with us. You will stay here for two days, won't you?" She gave him a pleading look as he looked down at her. "Well, if your parents don't mind---" He began. "They won't." She quickly assured him. "Stay here. I will get you some rooms next to mine." Kel walked out of the room and into the corridor. When she was away from the room, she ran full out all the way to the dining room, where her mother sat drinking tea with her oldest brother, Anders. "Mama?" Kel asked. Ilane looked up and smiled. "Can Neal stay in the rooms next to mine until we leave tomorrow evening?" " I had a feeling you would ask. Yes, the rooms next to yours are already made up from your uncles last visit. I had a hot bath sent up. You'll be leaving tomorrow with him? Such little time spent here." "Yes, I must attend my knight master. A week isn't long, but I was glad to come home and see you all." Kel replied. "Alright then, see you at supper." Ilane said. "Thankyou, Mama." Kel said, and went back to Neal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Come on, laddybuck, I'll show you your rooms." Neal followed Kel to a suite next to hers. At his door, she said, "The dinner bell is in one hour, I'll see you there." "Thankyou, Kel." He said, and she smiled.  
  
Kel cursed as the bell rang. She scrubbed faster and then got out of the tub, drying quickly. She pulled on a blue gown and raced down the stairs. "Sorry I'm late." She said breathlessly sa she plopped down beside Neal. "Where's Inness?" "He will be here by nightfall. The king called him out yesterday." Her father answered. The dinner went by painfully slow for Neal and Kel, whose parents bombarded her friend with questions. After dinner, they headed towards their rooms and Kel apologized, " I'm sorry about my parents. They like to know what is happening at Court." "It's alright," Neal replied. "My mother is the same way." Kel had an idea. "I'm going to be reading in my room, do you want to join me?" She asked. "Sure, Neal replied. "I'll be right back." Kel nodded. She entered her room and sat under the covers of her bed. She heard a knock on the door. "Come in Meathead." She said laughingly. He did. "That's 'sir' Meathead to you." She patted the other side of the bed and he sad down next to her.They read until just after dark, when Kel thudded Neal with a pillow. "You don't have to read your philosophy aloud, Neal." He grinned and prepared himself to throw the pillow back. Kel jumped up to avoid the airborn pillow. She jumped down to the side of the bed, using it asa shield. As soon as her pillow hit his face, she stood on the bed, another ready in her hand. Instead of throwing it back, he wrapped an arm around her ankles and brough her crashing down on the bed. He pinned her on the bed smiling cheekily. "Finally I beat you at something, Kel." He said proudly. "Oh yes," Kel scoffed. " You must tell your newest court flower about how brave and strong you are, beating your friend with pillows."  
  
Inness took that moment to walk in so he could greet Kel. He stopped, eyes flicking back and forth between the two. Kel blushed. She could imagine what this had to look like to him. Pillow feathers flying everywhere, their clothes and bed rumpled, red-faced, with Neal on top of her. Her best friend turned red and rolled off, straightening his clothes. "A word, Kel?" Inness asked. She nodded, still blushing, and followed him outside the door. Neal couldn't help but to listen in. "So, um, who is he? Inness asked. Kel's mind raced trying to think of some way to explain what happened. "It's not what you think."She said quickly. Her brother raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "We, ah, had a pillow fight over philosophy. That's my best friend, Neal." "Best friend, eh? Who won?" He asked in amusement. Kel glanced at him sharply. "I would have thought it would have been fairly obvious when you walked in without knocking." He blushed. "Oh well, have a nice night, Kel." He said slyly and walked off to his rooms. "'Night, Inness." She said loudly, reprimanding his slyness. When Kel returned, they both began laughing. The squires read far into the night, free of any more pillow fights. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She woke up at dawn. Turning over, she sa Neal sprawled out beside her. Apparently it had gotten very late, and they had both fallen asleep with a book in front of them and the lights still lit. "Neal." Kel whispered. He didn't stir. "NEAL!" This tiem he sat straight up, looking confused. She shoved his boots at him. *If Inness had walked in a little earlier, he would have absolutely no reason to believe our innocence.* She thought.  
  
Kel and Neal walked and talked for hours. They ended up by the Domin River, and sat on a log. "When I was a little girl, I came her to think about my future life. I wanted to be a page, but my parents told me about the Stump and my probation. You know, Neal? I wasn't going to become a knight at all because I didn't want to take second best. And then something happened that made me change my mind. Some village boys tossed a bag of kittens into the river. I went after them, and I found myself in the middle of the rushing water, in between the bag of kittens and a spidren. It reeled them in, and stupidly I went after the thing with rocks, nearly getting myself killed." She laughed softly at the memory. " After that, I knew I wanted the training. I never would have known you or Cleon or Merric, or Joren, which I could have lived without knowing. And then I came to the palace and we spent our first year together, just you and me. You were the only person who accepted me at first. Just us, the fifteen-year-old scholar and The Girl." Neal grinned at that. "And I don't regret any of it." She said, smiling. "I'm glad you don't. Want to go swimming?" He asked. Although it was the middle of summer, the Domin River could still have been pretty cold. "That's alright, Neal. I'd rather watch you freeze." Neal peeled off his shirt, making Kel blush. Although he noticed, he said nothing. He jumped in, practically making a tidal wave. "Come on, Kel. It's not that bad." She shook her head, warming herself in the sun. Kel laid down across the log with her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth. Then she felt something wet on her cheek, and opened her eyes to see Neal standing over her, dripping. "Let's go have a dip, my Lady Squire." He said grinning mischieviously. Kel began to scramble away to the safety of a bush she could hide in, but she was crawling on her hands and knees, and Neal had the advantage. He scooped her up in two muscular arms and waded into the water. "No, Neal!" She screeched, her arms looped around his neck, not willing to let go and be dropped into the icy water. "Put me down." "You want down?" He asked happily. "NEAL!No." Kel screamed and went flying to plunge into the freezing water. Kel surfaced gasping. It wasn't as cold as she had expected, but she still needed revenge. "You are going to get it for that, Neal." She said and swam after him. "What's the matter, love. Don't like refreshing water?" He called. Love? Kel thought. Where did that come from? Quickly her mind retured to revenge. "Refreshing my ass, Neal, you are going down." Kel laughed as she dunked him. She began to swim away, but Neal caught her by the waist. A cough made them look up. "Hello Cleon."  
  
Both of them looked guilty, and they knew it. The two climbed out, sopping wet. Neal retrieved his shirt. "Kel, Neal. I want you to meet my betrothed Ermelian of Aminar." He smiled lovingly at her. Kel looked the girl over. She was a little shorter than Cleon, with chestnut hair and beautiful blue eyes. She was a pretty thing, thin at the waist with small hips. Kel looked back at the lady's stomach and bit back a gasp. Ermelian was almost all the way pregnant, and she and Cleon had only been betrothed for three months. Neal had seen also, and was glaring deathly at Cleon, hands clenched by his sides. "It's nice to meet you," Kel said as nicely as she could manage. "Cleon, my I speak with you?" She lead him away from Neal and his betrothed, then spun around advancing on him. "What the hell is that about, Cleon?" She asked angrily. "What are you talking about? You knew I was betrothed." Cleon replied coolly. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about that lump on her stomach!" "We're going to be married, Kel. It's expected." He said defensively. "Cleon, she is about ready to have that baby NOW and you have only been engaged for three months. You cheated on me five months ago when we were together. You got her pregnant! How do you even know each other? You said you loved me, dammit!" She was in a rage now, and everything she learned in the Islands was put aside. "We were friends when we were young. Kel, I can explain." He said desperately. "No you can't, Cleon! We were together and you didn't even tell me it was over with us!" She ran to her rooms, a stormy look growing on her face.  
  
Kel glared daggers out her window, a few tears streaming down her cheeks. There was a knock on her door. "Kel, open up." Neal said gently. "No." She just wanted to be alone. Neal walked in despite her weak protests and sat on the bed beside her. "I'm so sorry, Kel." He pulled her into a hug, and she cried silently into his shoulder before falling asleep. He removed her boots and socks, and gently laid her under the covers of the tall bed.  
Kel woke an hour and a half later, pulled on her boots, and left a note for her parents on the dresser. Neal was in the practice courts.  
He stopped when he saw her, and walked over. Kel squirmed inside. "Um, about earlier..." She said carefully. "Thankyou." "You're welcome. What Cleon did was wrong. It isn't your fault, it's his. Would you like to rejoin the Own now?" She nodded, and hugged him tightly. "I left my parents a note saying we were leaving right away. You are the best friend anyone could have, Neal, for all you are a bit silly sometimes." *And only a best friend I shall stay*, he thought sadly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ride to the Own near the Palace was short and silent, Neal knew better than to talk to Kel. She was still getting over Cleon, or so he thought. And then on the last day of the ride, Kel surprised him and said, "You still haven't asked me any questions. What's wrong?" Neal looked surprised but answered seriously, "If you are still getting over Cleon I don't want to bother you." Kel shook her head. "No, Neal. I got over Cleon after he told me he was betrothed. I can understand that because he didn't have a choice. But what he did wasn't forced on him. He did it all on his own." She looked down at her saddle horn clenching hr teeth, and whispered, "He said he loved me."  
  
"Kel, Neal. I'm glad you arrived so quickly. We will be going to the Scanran border to defend it." Raoul grinned cheerfully. "Why don't you join us." The squires nodded and joined the Own. "So, my dear Meathead and our Lady Squire have decided to accompany us." A familiar voice drawled. They both looked up and greeted Dom. 


	2. Darkness Falls

Third Company rode towards Scanra until nightfall, when Raoul called for a halt to set up camp. He assigned Dom and his squad to build a campfire, Volorin's squad to cook, and various other individuals to dig latrines. Alanna called Kel over. "Time to dig the ladies' latrine." Alanna grinned, and handed her a shovel like her own. They found a nice spot behind some bushes far away from the stream. As they dug, Alanna said, "You know I didn't have a choice, right? About your probation?" "Yes, Lioness. I heard all about it from Neal. Including, if you don't mind me saying so, the rage you presented the king." Alanna grinned at that. "Jon is my best friend and ex-lover. He knows I will say what I want to him despite his royalty. I'm not supposed to even be near you. But it's alright. It's because of those conservatives. Can't even have a conversation with you without one of those idiots claiming I've magicked you to succeed. Never mind that though, you are doing well with Raoul. If Jon wants to keep you away, he's going to have to get by me first." Kel laughed. Alanna was very fiery despite her size.  
  
It was dark, and all that could be seen was the large fire and the Own sitting around it telling jokes and stories as their supper cooked. Kel didn't feel like joining in the socialization and decided to sit on her bedroll and think, instead of joining the others. I hope we get to the border by tomorrow. She thought. Concentrating on battle will keep my mind off Cleon. I don't think I ever truly loved him. Still, we were thinking of getting married and raising children, while he was secretly bedding that Ermelian girl. And yet I feel bad for her. She probably doesn't even know he was cheating on her too.  
  
And with her thoughts the girl sat staring out at the forest that was quickly darkening. Neal found her minutes later and sat down across from her. "Come on, Kel. You should eat. It's really good." He said. "I'm not hungry." She lied. Neal looked at her skeptically. "You're lying, I know. Let's go. A hungry fighter is one that is half beaten, and you need to eat." He grasped her hands in his and helped her up, and, still holding her hand, drug her over to the campfire. There were cheers and whistling as Neal sat beside her on the log bemch ot make sure she ate before sneaking off to her bedroll. Kel ignored the whistling and cat-calls, and listened to the tall tales Dom and Raoul had to tell. Kel liked the story about the giantess that fell in love with Raoul. Alanna caught her eye and mouthed, "I'm sorry." Growing up around boys, she knew Kel would appreciate distraction from the men's teasing.  
  
Kel slipped away after eating and laid down in her bedroll. She listened to the talk of men around the fire, just resting. The Own stayed up for another hour after that, and the last of them left for their bedrolls. Neal's was next to Kel's, and he layed down to sleep without any words.  
  
Kel laid awake for hours, desperately trying to sleep. The moon was just too bright that night. Kel, wanting to be rested in the morning, decided to take a walk. I'll be able to sleep after that.  
  
Quietly, she slipped out of her bedroll, put on her boots, and entered the dark woods. 


	3. A healing

Moonlight streamed through the gaps between trees, leading Kel to a small bluff that overlooked the stream. She watched, for no apparent reason, and without any thoughts of Cleon or her upcoming Ordeal. Suddenly, Kel heard a rustling in the bushes, and, in a flash, a Taurus came charging towards her. Kel reached for her glaive, but remembered that she had left it at camp by her bedroll. All she had was the dagger tucked into her belt, and compared to the bull's two horns, she didn't stand very much of a chance. Instead of fight back, Kel ran running deeper into the forest. She yelled as the taurus backed her up against a huge boulder. Kel ducked its horns that would have gutted her, and instead they cut a deep gash across her head making a scraping sound as horn met bone. It sliced her thigh, and she drew her dagger. Attempting to puncture his head, she lunged, but the taurus was faster. He moved sideways, and cut her head again.  
  
Neal woke up to a distant scream coming from the forest. Looking over, he saw Kel's rumpled and empty bedroll. He grabbed his sword and bow and ran towards the woods, following any sounds he could hear.  
  
Kel managed to cut the beast's shoulder, but it wasn't stopping it. Now she could feel warm blood coursing down the left side of her head. It wouldn't be long before she fainted from blood loss and the taurus had her. The taurus sliced her shoulder again, and suddenly froze, its eyes glazing over, an arrow lodged in it's neck.  
  
"Kel!" Neal whispered. "Kel. Wake up." "I'm awake, Neal." She mumbled. He scooped her up in his arms, green magic stopping the blood flow. She opened her eyes and watched the forest. He hoisted her up more and she held on by putting her arms around his neck. "Goddess, what were you doing out there? Alone, without any weapons at dark, far from camp?" He asked worriedly. "I don't know. Just trying to get back to sleep I guess." "It.it didn't get you did it?" She knew what he meant. Tauruses were known for preying on women and girls. Kel still didn't understand why the gods didn't make female tauruses. "Almost." She whispered.  
  
They reached camp and Neal went straight to Alanna's tent. She and Raoul got tents, while everyone else slept out. "Alanna!" He whispered loudly, whacking the closed tent flap. They heard a grumble from inside. "This better be important, Nealan, or your head is going to be on my wall!" Neal winced. Alanna opened the flap and her eyes widened. She ushered them in and gestured to a spare mat where he lay Kel down. He turned to Alanna. "You know I'm not good with head wounds." The Lioness sat down across from Kel as violet fire streamed from her hands to cleanse and sew together the deep gashes on her head. At the end, only a scar was left on her forehead. Then Alanna turned to Neal. "The scar will go away in a couple of days. What happened?" She asked. Neal looked worriedly at Kel. Who laid with her eyes closed listening to them. "She went for a walk in the woods out there, alone, with only her belt dagger. It was a taurus." Alanna closed her. "Did it.?" She asked. He shook his head. Alanna sighed in relief. "You'd better take her back. She needs to rest." He nodded and picked her up. "I can walk." Kel said tiredly. Neal put her down and took her hand, leading her through the camp. He pulled his bed closer to hers, and they slept, fingers entwined and foreheads gently touching. 


	4. A talk with the Lioness

Dom had heard screaming from the woods the night before. If it was spidrens or trolls he should probably warn the sorceress, Alanna. He hadn't seen Neal all morning, and the Company was packing up to leave. Dom made his way to Neal' bedroll and stopped, shocked, then a sly grin spread across his face. The rest of the Own would love to hear this. He shoved the pillow that their heads were on with a booted foot, "Time to get up, lovebirds. Company's moving out." Slowly Kel and Neal opened their eyes. Kel groaned and slept again as Neal sat up, rubbing his eyes. Dom leaned down to Kel's level and said, "Nuh-uh, Lady Lover. Time to get up." Kel opened her eyes and touched the scar on her head. "What..?" She asked and remembered. "Taurus." She whispered. "Oh, gods. I've had a healing." Neal pulled on his boots and saddled Magewhisper as Dom left, leaving Kel to sleep until the last possible moment.  
  
He shook her shoulder gently. "The Own is leaving, Kel." She groaned again and pulled on her boots. Fully dressed, Kel began her search of Peachblossom. Neal had other ideas, however. He grabbed her hand and dragged her back. "Oh no, Kel." He whispered. "You can't ride after your healing." Kel began her protests, but Neal ignored them, and lifted her up into Magewhisper's saddle. Then he swung up behind her and they made their way to the front of the line with Alanna and Raoul. Kel was asleep instantly, and Neal chose to ignore the stares, grins, and whistles they received. Dom winked as they rode by, and Neal knew he had to be the Own's source of information about them. Kel spent the day's ride resting in front of Neal, her head laying on his chest.  
  
When Kel awoke, the Company was camped at the Scanran border's defense place, and she was laying on her bedroll. She got up and walked to the afternoon fire. Upon seeing her, the Own made room for her beside Neal, whistling and yelling, "Lady Lover!" Kel blushed and sat down. Someone passed her a hot bowl of rabbit stew which she ate hungrily.  
  
Kel sat on her bedroll, (she seems to like her bedroll a lot!) wiping a polishing cloth over the blade of her glaive. She looked up and saw Alanna watching her. "Walk with me?" She asked. "I think we need to talk." Kel was confused, but nodded. Why would the Lioness need to talk to her? When they were away from camp, Alanna began to speak. "When I was your age, I was a lot like you, except in size." She smiled. "Young, wanting to work, denying love. Just like you." Kel was really confused now. "I don't need love, Alanna. I'm getting my shield in a week, hopefully. I need to be working and concentrating on important things." "Ah." Alanna said knowingly. " I thought the same exact thing as a squire. I had love coming at me from all directions. Jonathan, my Knight Master and friend. Myles, my teacher and adoptive father. George, my best friend the King of Theives and now my husband. You probably have heard of my connection of the Goddess. I am one of her Chosen ones. One night, as a squire, she came to me and told me my three main fears. Would you like to know them?" Kel thought and nodded. The Lioness was afraid of things? "My first was the Ordeal. Like most, I was afraid I would enter and never come out alive. My second was Duke Roger, the sorcerer-duke that plotted against the throne. You have heard of him from your friends, I assume?" Kel nodded. "My third fear was love. I didn't want to get close to anyone. I denied love anyone gave me. And then the Mother told me something very true that I will remember forever: Love will ease a hard path to walk. My path, and yours, was difficult. I had to disguise myself. I fought Roger twice. A little love made fulfilling my path easier. It will for yours too," Kel didn't know what to say. "But, Alanna. I'm not. I don't. There isn't anybody who loves me like that." Alanna looked skeptical. "Keladry, you are doing just what I did. You are denying it. Look around you; don't you see him?" Kel looked confused, and Alanna said gently, "My squire." Kel raised her eyebrows and croaked, "Neal?" "Think of the times you've spent with him, Kel." Alanna said encouragingly. Kel did think. She remembered him carrying her home, healing her, holding her close while they slept as if he didn't want to lose her, comforting her when Cleon made her cry. She remembered the pillow fight and swimming with him, and when he held her on his horse all the way to the border. He took care of her when she had outside and inside wounds, treating her with trust, friendship, and hugs. "I know he loves you, Kel. Do you love him back?" Alanna asked. Kel thought again. Alanna spoke. "I heard about what happened with your ex-sweetheart, Cleon, and I'm sorry. Although he talks bout philosophy constantly, Neal will never hurt you, Kel. Not like Cleon did." Kel wondered how she knew so much. Probably because she's been where I am. "Yes, I love him." She said, and meant it. Up until then, Kel refused to think it, telling herself she was being fickle and acting like a court lady, fluttering at everyone. But the Lioness made her think, and she knew she had loved Neal from the beginning. "Good. You've admitted it to yourself. It took me years to do that; I didn't want you to make the same mistake. She smiled fondly at Kel. "Take my word for it, Lady Squire, love will ease a hard path to walk." "Thank you, Lioness. I'll take your words to heart." Alanna gave her a quick hug. "I can't wait until you are knighted. It's too bad you weren't a midgit like me, though." Kel laughed. "I would have been if I could, Alanna." 


	5. Lady Lover

Just then they heard a horn call: the signal that Scanrans had come. Kel picked up her glaive, Alanna her sword. The border had a half built fort called Steadfast and a large mound of rock and dirt at its left. The Lady warriors ran to the mound. Scanrans would attack the fort first. Spotting a nearing Scanran, Kel left out from behind the rocks, giving a clean swipe to his leg. He spun and chopped, which she blocked. He feigned a thrust at her shoulder, and while she blocked him, he cut a long shallow cut down her thigh. She rammed the butt of her glaive onto his head and finised him off. Seeing Alanna battle three at a time, she went to help the lady knight.  
  
The basketful of raiders had been small and were easily defeated. Kel reported to Raoul that she had seen no one seriously hurt. He led her to the infirmary where they would count the wounded. To Kel and Raoul's dismay, only two had been injured and were now fully healed, asleep, by Alanna. Kel herself sported various bruises and shallow cuts, but nothing serious. Raoul, being an experienced knight, left the fight without a scratch. Kel walked tiredly to sit on her bedroll. After the healing she had had the night before, her small amounts of fighting seemed like five times as much. Neal sat down beside her minutes later. Cool green fire spread over Kel's tired body. "Neal, I'm fine. It's just some little cuts and bruises." She protested. "Of course you're fine, Kel. You are always fine. Now hush and let me finish." He healed every last bump and bruise, curing her headache along the way. She smiled at him gratefully, and got up to leave when Raoul called her over.  
  
"Kel. Nice work out there earlier. You improve all the time." Raoul complimented. Kel blushed. "Thank you milord." "Now you know we must leave tomorrow, correct?" Kel nodded. Her long- dreaded Ordear would now take place. "You may go."  
  
Kel waited until the Own was asleep before leaving to soak herself in a nearby lake. With her she took her glaive, a lesson learnt from her last nighttime escapade. She reached the lake and stripped off her clothes, placing her glaive in some reeds nearby. The water was warm as she waded in, from the hot sun that began in early morning and ended late in the afternoon. She was glad the darkness hid that she had left camp. As Kel splashed and scrubbed herself, she thought. Her words replayed in her head over and over. 'Yes, I love Neal. I love Neal. I love Neal. I love Neal' And she thought of Alanna's words. "Now all you have to do is tell each other." Kel wished she could be sure he loved her back.  
  
"Kel." She whirled around, and saw Neal on the bank. She was glad the dark hid her. "Neal." He waded in, unclothed, and held her by the shoulders. "Couldn't you have told me you were leaving? I thought you went into another forest." Kel shuddered. She would never do that again. "I didn't want to ruin your rest." She said. "I'd rather have my rest ruined than lose you, Kel. You scared me." He whispered. With those words Kel knew he loved her and she loved him back, and that they were meant to be together. She wrapped her arms around his neck despite her nakedness and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Neal. You know I never got a chance to thank you for saving me from the taurus. Thank you." "I love you, Kel. Do you know that?" He asked quietly. "I'm hoping I know, because I love you too." And with that he kissed her long and passionately, and Kel found herself kissing him back.  
  
They stopped, gasping for breath, and Neal led her out of the lake. They donned their clothes and walked back to camp hand-in-hand. Kel joined Neal in his bedroll that night, only for the sake of the reassuring comfort she felt when she was near him. 


	6. When Love Grows

A week passed by and Kel and Neal's love grew. Kel knew she would have to see Alanna, soon. They were teased endlessly by the men of the Own for their glances at each other and not-so-secret love.  
  
She found Alanna in her tent, settled reading a book. "Hello, Kel. What brings you here?" Alanna asked cheerfully. Kel fumbled with her tunic and muttered, "I need to ask a favor." The Lioness was a healer, Kel knew she would have what she needed. "I'm listening. What do you need?" The lady knight asked. "Well..um. A charm." Kel blushed. Alanna raised an eyebrow. "What type of charm? Healing, protection, luck, preg-oh. OH!" The knowledge donned on her and Kel blushed a deeper shade of crimson. "Sorry, Kel. You don't have to spell it out for me; I just wasn't thinking. I had one made for you, I thought you might ask. Well don't look so embarrassed! It's natures way." The Lioness reached into a drawer and produced a round, stone charm on a gold chain. "Now make sure to keep it tucked in your shirt. There will be hell to pay if the men see it." Kel thanked Alanna and tucked it into her shirt, leaving.  
  
Raoul had told them that Alanna would be taking them to the palace for their Ordeals. They left that evening. The ride from the border took one night, two days. On the evening of their ride, Kel skinned and gutted a large rabbit as Neal brought in firewood. The rabbit dinner went by smoothly; the three sat in comfortable silence. After the meal, Alanna told them she was going to bed, and they walked hand-in-hand to a grass patch where they could watch the stars. They sat down, and Neal pulled Kel into his lap. She listened as he pointed tout the constellations and how they came to be. Kel snuggled closer to Neal in her bedroll that night, content with reviewing her life.  
  
They made it to the Palace the next afternoon. Alanna told them that she had to rejoin the Own and they were under Wyldon's eye once again.  
  
It was nearly lunch time when Kel and Neal got some rooms. Kel bathed quickly, scrubbing off the dirt she was covered in. She heard a pounding on the door as Neal called her name. "I'll be out in a minute." She yelled, and quickly dressed herself. She ran a comb through her hair and opened the door. "We're going to be late for lunch, Kel. You know the Stump will assign punishment if we're late." "Alright, alright. Keep your shirt on." She said pulling on her boots. "Maybe I shouldn't." He said slyly. "Let's go, Neal." They walked down the hall and into the mess, Neal's arm around her waist. They filled their plates up and sat down by their waving friends. It had been a long time since they had all sat together, and had a lot of catching up to do. Kel ignored Cleon completely as Neal glared at him the entire meal. Wyldon stood up on the dais and cleared his throat. "There is a ball tonight in honor of our knights-to-be. All squires please be present." As he stepped down, the hall filled with the buzzing of talk. 


	7. Alanna or Raoul's Squire?

READ THIS IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!! DON'T GO AWAY!  
  
Ok, I'm wondering how I'm going to do this. Should Kel be Raoul or Alanna's squire? Or perhaps someone else's? If she is with Alanna, should they ride with the Own. If they don't, where do they go and what do they do? If they do ride with the Own, what should they do and what happens in the war? Any ideas for what should happen will be appreciated and taken into great consideration.  
  
I have no idea where to go from where I left off. If you don't give me ideas, I won't write any more.  
  
Okay people,  
I've had a lot of complaints about the spacing of my story. I have tried to fix it but my computer won't let me so if it is hard to read, go to the top of the page and push the (+) button to make it bigger. If you can't find it or it doesn't work, go to the VIEW category at the very top of your screen that is next to FILE and EDIT. Then go into TEXT ZOOM and increase the percentage. Please no more people telling me how to fix it! It's just kind of annoying. 


	8. Going On

Ok, I am indeed going to keep going on this and finish it, but since it has been so long I have forgotten how I was going to end it. So if every one of you can spare a precious moment out of your century-long lives and give me a little idea I would be very appreciative. Thank you. I promise if I get at least 2 reviews I will update! Thanks! 


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